A Perspective on Prayer

John 17:1-5.  Jesus is praying one last prayer before being arrested and lead away to trial. Soon He will be condemned to die as a criminal for crimes he never committed. He will be jeered and mocked.   Then He will surrender His life as a sacrifice for humanity.  Before parting he gives us a treasured glimpse into His secret communion with the Father. 

We know Jesus prayed. And prayed often.  Luke's Gospel is full of references to Christ's prayer life.  However, seldom do we see the content of these times with the Father.  What did Jesus and the Father talk about? How did they connect?  What characterized these prayer times? What insights could we gather that would help us to better connect with the Father?   What role did prayer play in Jesus' understanding of who He was? His mission?  His identity? 

As far as I can tell, this passage is the only place in Scripture where we capture a brief glimpse of the essence of Christ's prayer-life.  He's talking to the Father hours before His approaching death. Time is critical now.   He needs strength to accomplish heaven's eternal plan.  He needs spiritual sustenance. He needs clarification.  He needs affirmation.  He needs the Father's touch and courage.    So what does He pray? 

What Does Jesus Think About Muslims?

"What does Jesus think about Muslims?"

The young man's question almost knocked me over. He was a local repair man that was working on our trailer that we use for ministry here in Dar. It keeps breaking and has been a huge source of frustration. This was my second attempt to get it fixed. The first failed miserably.   The other missionary that I work with has had it repaired probably 4 times before that. I hadn't seen this young guy since his last botched attempt on the trailer about 3 weeks earlier. 

"Last time I saw you- you told me about Jesus and gave me a small tract- my heart was touched deeply....but I'm a Muslim" 

I looked at this guy and could see the hunger in his eyes. I almost broke down weeping as I felt the love of God in my heart for this guy- it poured out of me: "Jesus loves Muslims and Jesus loves you- He gave His life so that everyone could know God." 

We talked for another 15 to 20 minutes before the Holy Spirit finally totally broke through. "You mean Jesus would forgive me?"  He knelt with me in the driveway to give his life to the Jesus who even loves Muslims. Oh how precious the love of Jesus! 

 There is an unprecedented hunger for God and for His love. I see it everywhere I go. People are starving to know that someone loves them in these days of uncertainty, wickedness, and distress.  

 I believe the Holy Spirit is on one final soul-searching mission- drawing, wooing, convicting, and convincing men's hearts of their need for Jesus. He's about to come back. Time is short. So preciously short. 

Interestingly,  He won't do this work by Himself. For some unexplainable reason, the God of heaven has decided to work through simple, feeble, weak, frail human beings like you and me. The problem that I see is that there are so few who are willing to step out and say Lord I WANT TO BE APART OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING- in this hour: 

Some are distracted. They want the good life.
Some are afraid. I could never do it.
Some aren't quite ready. Give me more time to think about my involvement.
Some are looking to others. So and so will do it.
Some are hurt. You don't know what happened in my past.
Some are divided. There's just too much to do in life.

Meanwhile people are asking the question: "What does Jesus think about Muslims?"

How I think God's heart must wish there were more people available who would just yes. Who would just take the step of faith. Who would dare to make a difference for our King. Who would weep for the lost. Who would pray with passion. Who would give until it hurts. And who would go no matter the cost. 
 
Please friends, when you think and pray about missions think of the question "What does Jesus think about Muslims?" And PRAY that God's love would be revealed to them! 

And please remember to pray for me! Seriously.  

God answers prayer!

Eighteen people piled into three land cruisers early Monday morning.  Their destination was a little village 3 hours outside of Dar Es Salaam.  No electricity.  No cell phone coverage.  No running water.  No known Christians.  Home to some 1000 people, Mkoko has no church of any kind.  Islamic in name only, the majority of Mkoko's inhabitants are animists involved in witchcraft.  We went to spend the week teaching English in the local primary school, run a soccer camp in the afternoons, and try to build relationships with these wonderful people.  

We pitched our camp in the middle of the village and slept under the stars the whole week. A wonderful experience! Our prayer was that somehow God would give us a door into Mkoko.  We entered the village with  the assumption that the village was 100% un-reached and hostile to the Gospel message.  But God was already at work.  On the second day, a young man from the village approached our team leader- a dear Tanzanian pastor who serves as the assistant TAG missions director- "there is something different about you people!" 

His remark lead into a very interesting conversation.  Three years ago this young Mkoko-ite left the village to go to Dar es Salaam.  There he tried to eek out a living to send money back to his family.  One day a believer at a local TAG church befriended him and witnessed to him.  He surrendered his life to the Lord some time later.  When his family found out about his conversion, they were irate.  The village elders forced him to return to Mkoko and made him marry a Muslim woman.  He was threatened with his life for his faith.  He has been secretly praying for over a year that God would send Christians to his village.  With eager curiosity, he asked the question: "are the members of this team Christians?" 

Imagine this young man's joy to find out that God not only answered his prayer by sending Christians to Mkoko, but the assistant director of TAG missions was now sitting in his village- eager to help develop a work there! It was a God moment.  Later that week,  over 100 members of the village heard the message of Jesus for the first time.  During the presentation the young man's face told it all.  He told us it was the first time that the Gospel had been proclaimed in Mkoko. There was a look of holy joy in his eyes.  Yes, God answered this young man's prayer! God went above and beyond what he was asking for.  How like God.  

 Would you please pray for Mkoko. Pray for this young man- the only light in an entire Islamic village.  We hope to see many in that village come to Christ.